By Tina Antonis, 11-05-2025

I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly religious or spiritual. Despite being raised in the strict environment of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, I don’t really believe in a god. In that community, anyone outside our church wasn’t considered Christian, including Catholics, even though we shared many similarities. We had a catechism, practiced confession (though it wasn’t widely emphasized), and recognized several sacraments. However, we didn’t believe in purchasing indulgences to escape purgatory, or even in purgatory itself. To me, that seemed like one less hurdle on the road to salvation—more direct, in a way.

Questioning authority has always been part of me—whether it was religious, parental, or governmental. My birth name essentially means “Christian Rebel.” I think this inclination started with my kindergarten teacher, who introduced us to the stories of the Fall of Man and Pandora’s Box, both of which offered rather unsatisfying explanations for the existence of evil. Even though I was a handful for her, she became one of my favorite teachers because she encouraged me to question everything at an early age.

After my mother passed, I distanced myself from the Lutheran church and embarked on a spiritual exploration, learning about a variety of religions. I even practiced a few, including Christo-Paganism, Neo-Paganism (though I’m aware some symbols have been co-opted by white nationalists), Wicca, LaVeyan Satanism (they don’t believe in a literal devil), Born-Again Christianity, and Mormonism. This broad experience solidified a core belief: Spirituality is greater than religion, and ultimately, all religions share fundamental similarities.

I respect all beliefs, as long as no one tries to convert me. Occasionally, I draw inspiration from biblical verses for my writing, much like I do with Marxist quotes or song lyrics. I even used to troll Marco Rubio on Twitter with Bible verses.

Jonathan Cook’s article, “Islam vs the West,” brought back memories of how I used to misunderstand Muslims and their beliefs. I came to see that my perspective on the Middle East improved greatly once I started exploring Islam. I once said, “It wasn’t until after I learned more about Islam that I started looking at the Middle East.” To further my knowledge, I listened to readings of the Quran on SoundCloud.

The Quran contains beautiful verses, just as the Bible does. Both texts have violent passages, reflecting the darker histories of all religions. That violence is what disturbs me. Many Christians may not be aware of the violent past within their own faith—the Crusades, Martin Luther’s dark history, or the more mythological tales like Saint Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, which symbolically represented the Pagans.

To those who harbor Islamophobic sentiments, I recommend starting with the Quran to better understand Islam. Investigate the history of the Middle East to grasp the roots of Islamic terrorism. I’ve heard it argued that terrorism in the region escalated following Zbig’s infamous CIA-backed Operation Cyclone. Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can also shed light on the motivations behind groups like Hamas or Ansar Allah. While financial factors, such as Bibi’s support for Hamas, are critical, I urge people to keep an open mind. Try to empathize—put yourself in their shoes. That’s what empathy is all about.